Glasshouses verge: 29-09-2020

Swing, swing, rake, rake...

This week the NCVs set off to finish scything the wildflower verge at Glasshouses. The longer it is left the more likely it is to get soggy and difficult to cut, rake and burn.  Would this third day of swinging their scythes get the job done? Let's see shall we?......

Tools and barrows were all out and ready for use as the NCVs arrived.

No time to waste. Liz was going to be cracking the whip today!

First up, sharpen your scythes.

OK Phil - on your marks, get set, GO!

Ruth started raking the first of many, many, many grass rolls...

...and Tom set off with the first of many, many, many barrowloads.

At the other end of the verge, ace scyther, Paul, supervised new scyther, 

Dave, making sure his swing was sufficiently swingy.

Their prunings were cleared up by dynamic duo Ros K and Brenda.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the middle of the verge, Graham and Alistair practised their roles as two of the three little pigs in the forthcoming pantomime 'Who's afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?'

No, no piggy wiggies. The 3 little pigs made a house of straw first, 

THEN a house of sticks. This stage set simply won't do.

The call for coffee time was very well received.

At lunchtime Ros E. realised that she had, once again, left her yogurt spoon at home.

A sanitised finger had to be deployed.

Please be aware - anti-viral goo does not taste nice.

Andy put the finishing touches to the top end of the verge.

"Excuse me - what's this? Never mind a post prandial snooze - 

there is plenty more grass to be cut at the other end of the verge 

and that fire will not tend itself!"

And so they raced off - a cavalry of three additional 

scythers to assist the three already in place. Hurray! We are saved!

We may just get the cutting finished!

Anita felt heartened as she got closer and closer to the Glasshouses end.

We are almost there. Keep going!

And THAT IS THAT!!!!

Well. Not quite. All these little haystacks still need shifting.

But that could easily be done another time......

So YES! A third day was (just about) all that was needed, thanks to the muscle power of the NCVs. They walked back to the barn with aching arms, secure in the knowledge that the scythes could now be put away - until next summer.

Banks Wood, Summerbridge: 22-09-2020

TUBE CHECKERS R US!

This week the NCVs returned to the beautiful Banks Wood, part of the Summerbridge Nature Reserve that has recently been awarded SINC status. The last time they were working there was 18 months ago when they were coppicing and working on the path through the wood. This time they were checking the many trees that have been planted to ensure that tubes were weed free and upright before the autumnal gales start to blow. 

The photos below should give you a feel for the day....

The morning got off to an exciting start when James Bond 

arrived in his classy sports car complete with ejector seat.

Needless to say, within seconds a group of (male) NCVs

 had gathered around wanting to see what other devices Q 

had engineered into its construction.

Chris studiously ignored James B and

 focused his attention on some unwanted balsam.

Once the admiring petrol heads had been dragged away to 

start the task we found our way barred by a Beltie.

Luckily it blinked first.

And here was where the NCVs were working. 

A hillside covered with hundreds of tree tubes.

It was going to be a day of much kneeling and bending.

Some trees were tall and poking out of their tubes.

Others were so small you needed 

a pair of binoculars to see them.

Some tubes had nothing growing in (or the tree was dead)....

....in which case the tube was left at an angle, so that places 

that needed new trees could be easily identified.

Others were chock a block with grass, that may 

or may not be hiding a live tree.

Occasionally we came across 'thistle trees' 

that had ideas above their station.

They thought that we may not notice they were only thistles.

But they can't fool a seasoned. NCV.

Out with the thistle and there was a little tree.

Coffee time was spent up at the top of the hill by the deer fence, admiring the view.

Anyone in need of relief was able to try out the new 'green loo', 

a bijou little structure in the woods.

After coffee there was a lot more of this....

...and a bit more of that.

Anita's hair parting was just about as straight as a tree tube, thanks

 to her careful coiffing earlier in the day.

At lunchtime there were various conversations, 

including thoughts about the upcoming PM's announcement 

on the new CV19 restrictions and, more interestingly,

 how Tony drowned a woodpecker to eat.

Sorry - misheard - a sparrow hawk did the drowning and the eating.

Meanwhile, Andy was blissfully unaware of any of the conversations.

He had obviously been working harder than all the rest.

Three interesting little finds:

A VERY hairy caterpillar; 

A lovely white puffball; 

... and a newly sprouting acorn at the base of a tree tube - 

probably dropped in by a Jay.

The little baby tree was carefully rehoused elsewhere,

 with its own tube and stake.

Once the job was done the NCVs made their way back to their cars.

James Bond sped off in his Yellow Peril on a top secret mission 

to save the world from a dastardly plot of Scaramanga's.

Everyone else just settled for a cuppa and a hot bath.

Glasshouses verge: 15-09-2020

 Let's get a move on.

Quick, quick, quick!

It was a repeat task for the NCVs this week. Further cutting, raking and burning of the grass on the wildflower verge at Glasshouses was needed.  With Covid 19 cases on the rise and 'the rule of 6' already in place, could the job be done before a second national lockdown might be reinstated???!!! Let's see how far they got and if their goal was reached. At least the weather on the run up to Tuesday was warm and dry, so that was going to help the situation.

Hang on - that group's bigger than 6!

Don't worry - we are working so that's allowed.

And the yellow jackets are off - with a spring in their step.

The first of the four working groups only went as far 

as the start of the verge whilst everyone else carried on.

Not so far to walk but....

....the narrowness of the verge at this point just 

didn't allow for a full swing of your scythe.

Once the verge widened out there was no stopping Andy. 

He swung his scythe as a scyther should.

Can you spot the frog? Luckily sharp eyed Brenda did 

and he lived to hop another day. 

The grass was raked and then had to be transported down 

to the middle of the verge for burning.

Julia and Ros E. were barrow girls...

...and Andrew a pole balancing barrow boy...

... but Liz preferred the 'off the shoulder' look.

Further along the verge group 2 were hard at it....

..although first time scyther, Adrian, was caught

 looking wistfully into the distance, wondering 

whether he should have opted for raking.

It was such a hot day that Paul and Ros K decided to air their shins.

Down, beyond the picnic benches, group 3 were making good inroads

 into the other half of the verge.

Group 4 were the fire tenders. 

Alistair got busy with the matches.

What a day to be tending a fire!! 

100 degrees in the shade (est.) The sweat was running freely.

At the end of the afternoon the bonfire had to be doused 

with water before we could go home.

What a sorry sight!

Some of the groups ate lunch in style but all Alistair 

wanted to do was to practise his tight walk roping act.

By 2pm everyone was almost passing out with heat exhaustion so the job didn't get finished. Hopefully our next visit in 2 weeks time will allow us to complete the task ahead of a lockdown. Fingers crossed!